Retractable transfer device metering and product arranging apparatus and methods

ABSTRACT

Product is conveyed as a continuous stream by a meter conveyor ( 12 ) unto a transfer plate ( 32 ) and a transfer device ( 42 ). The transfer device ( 42 ) is movable between a retracted position and an extended position extending over a sweep conveyor ( 22 ). In a preferred form, the transfer device ( 42 ) is in the form of a thin piece of flexible material and is moved in the conveying direction from the retracted position to the extended position by engaging with the sweep conveyor ( 22 ) and is moved to the retracted position by being wrapped around a rotated roller ( 46 ). Product is transferred from the transfer device ( 42 ) to the sweep conveyor ( 22 ) as the transfer device ( 42 ) moves from the extended position to the retracted position and is engaged by a metering bar ( 52   ba ) which controls the product acceleration on the sweep conveyor ( 22 ) to match the meter conveyor ( 12 ) until the product group leaves the transfer device ( 42 ). With nested product, the leading edge of the transfer device ( 42 ) can be scalloped to represent the product bottom leading edge. Alternatively, nestable product is conveyed by the meter conveyor ( 12 ) through a guide rail unit  82  including an infeed portion ( 84 ) for conveying product in a conveying direction, a nesting portion ( 86 ) at an arranging angle (N) to the conveying direction, and an aligning portion ( 88 ) at a grid angle (Z) to the nesting portion ( 84 ) to align the product in a square grid pattern when transferred unto the transfer device ( 42 ).

BACKGROUND

The present invention generally relates to apparatus and methods formetering product from a continuous stream into a product group and/orpack pattern, particularly to metering apparatus and methods notrequiring windows between product in the continuous stream, moreparticularly to metering apparatus and methods which are versatile tometer a wide variety of product such as cans, plastic bottles, jars,cartons, bundles, or trays, and specifically to metering apparatus andmethods where product is metered by moving a transfer device fromunderneath a product group positioned above a sweeping conveyor. Inother preferred aspects, the present invention generally relates toapparatus and methods for arranging nestable products into a gridpattern which is preferably conveyed without inner lane guides, with thearranging apparatus and methods producing synergistic results whenutilized with the metering apparatus and methods of the presentinvention.

In a typical packaging operation, product comes to a packaging machinein a continuous stream. It is necessary to separate product into groupsso that they can be further processed such as being placed into a packpattern and/or packed into a film overwrap or a corrugated wrap. U.S.Pat. Nos. 4,832,178 and 5,201,823 represent one manner of meteringproduct utilizing pins which are inserted between product in lanes.However, it should be appreciated that such pin metering apparatus canonly be utilized for product presenting windows between product.Additionally, such pin metering apparatus includes pins, rails, andsupports between each lane of product which are multiple, high wear,moveable components and are very difficult and expensive to change overbetween different products. Other metering designs which control productfrom the side or top also require many parts, are complex, and aredifficult to adjust.

Thus, a need continues to exist for apparatus and methods for meteringand arranging product which do not suffer from the deficiencies of priorapparatus, especially those of prior pin metering apparatus. Inparticular, such apparatus and methods should be versatile enough tometer a range of product sizes and shapes including product which doesnot have windows between abutting product and can be changed overbetween different product sizes and shapes with minimum effort orexpense, which is relatively low wear and maintenance, and which isrelatively trouble free.

SUMMARY

The present invention solves this need and other problems in the fieldof metering apparatus and methods by providing, in most preferredaspects, a transfer device upon which product is transferred while in anextended position extending over a product conveyance mechanism. Theproduct is removed from the transfer device when the transfer device ismoved to a retracted position from beneath the product which isprevented from moving with the transfer device to the retracted positionsuch as by abutting with the remaining product in a continuous streambeing advanced towards the transfer device.

In most preferred forms, the transfer device is in the form of a thinpiece of flexible material which engages and is pulled by the productconveyance mechanism from its retracted position to its extendedposition and is wrapped around a rotatable roller to move from itsextended position to its retracted position. In a preferred form, thetransfer device is in the form of a piece of material having a leadingedge which is scalloped to represent the nonlinearly straight, leadbottom edge of product being transferred.

In other preferred aspects, the lead product is abutted as it istransferred unto a product conveyance mechanism by a metering bar whichis moving at a speed equal to the product before it is transferred untothe product conveyance mechanism and less than the speed of the productconveyance mechanism until the entire product group is transferred onthe product conveyance mechanism to thereby retain the product in thegroup while it is being transferred to the product conveyance mechanism.

In still other aspects of the present invention, product being conveyedin a conveying direction and preferably in individual columns are guidedat an arranging angle to move simultaneously parallel and perpendicularto the conveying direction into a nested pattern, with the nestedpattern being guided into a grid pattern so that the columns extendparallel to the conveying direction and the rows extending perpendicularto the conveying direction with the columns and rows abutting.

It is thus an object of the present invention to provide novel apparatusand methods for metering product.

It is further an object of the present invention to provide such novelmetering apparatus and methods not requiring the presentation of windowsbetween abutting product.

It is further an object of the present invention to provide such novelmetering apparatus and methods versatile enough to meter product ofdifferent sizes and shapes including but not limited to cans, bottles,jars, cartons, bundles and trays.

It is further an object of the present invention to provide such novelmetering apparatus and methods allowing nesting of products in thecontinuous stream of product to minimize product surge.

It is further an object of the present invention to provide such novelmetering apparatus and methods providing an easy manner of retainingproduct as a group by controlling the acceleration of product on theproduct conveyance mechanism.

It is further an object of the present invention to provide a noveltransfer device including a scalloped leading edge for use in such novelmetering apparatus and methods.

It is further an object of the present invention to provide novelapparatus and methods for arranging nestable products in a square gridpattern for further packaging operations.

It is further an object of the present invention to provide such novelapparatus and methods which can be easily changed over between differentproduct and/or different product group sizes.

It is further an object of the present invention to provide such novelapparatus and methods minimizing the number and complexity ofcomponents, with few high wear components.

It is further an object of the present invention to provide such novelapparatus and methods which eliminate or control physical registrationforces during operation.

It is further an object of the present invention to provide such novelapparatus and methods allowing easy access to the product from the topand side and to the bottom of the apparatus for maintenance andcleaning.

These and further objects and advantages of the present invention willbecome clearer in light of the following detailed description of anillustrative embodiment of this invention described in connection withthe drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The illustrative embodiment may best be described by reference to theaccompanying drawings where:

FIGS. 1 and 2 show partial, perspective views of a metering apparatusutilizing preferred methods according to the preferred teachings of thepresent invention, with portions and product being removed to showconstructional details, with the transfer device being in its extendedposition and retracted position, respectively.

FIG. 3 shows a top plan view of an arranging apparatus and of portionsof the metering apparatus of FIG. 1 utilizing methods according to thepreferred teachings of the present invention, with portions and productbeing removed to show constructional details.

All figures are drawn for ease of explanation of the basic teachings ofthe present invention only; the extensions of the figures with respectto number, position, relationship, and dimensions of the parts to formthe preferred embodiment will be explained or will be within the skillof the art after the following description has been read and understood.Further, the exact dimensions and dimensional proportions to conform tospecific force, weight, strength, and similar requirements will likewisebe within the skill of the art after the following description has beenread and understood.

Where used in the various figures of the drawings, the same numeralsdesignate the same or similar parts. Furthermore, when the terms “side,”“end,” “bottom,” “first,” “second,” “laterally,” “longitudinally,”“row,” “column,” and similar terms are used herein, it should beunderstood that these terms have reference only to the structure shownin the drawings as it would appear to a person viewing the drawings andare utilized only to facilitate describing the illustrative embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

An apparatus for metering product and in particular to apparatus whichcollates and separates groups of product in preparation for varioustypes of packaging of the most preferred form is shown in the drawingsand generally designated 10. Generally, apparatus 10 includes first andsecond product conveyance mechanisms which are independently driven formoving product in a conveying direction. In the most preferred form, theconveying direction of the first and second product conveyancemechanisms are colinear to each other, with the product beingtransferred from the first product conveyance mechanism where they arebunched together unto the second product conveyance mechanism where theyare separated, typically into groups. However, it should be recognizedthat the first and second product conveyance mechanisms could have otherarrangements including linearly parallel, perpendicular or at aarranging angle of nested product. In the most preferred form, the firstproduct conveyance mechanism is shown as a meter conveyor 12 which isdriven at variable speeds such as by a servo motor. In the preferredform, conveyor 12 includes an endless belt 14 including an upper runextending between an upstream roller and a downstream roller 16. Itshould be realized that conveyor 12 can include one or more additionalrollers, with one or more of the rollers 16 being rotated such as by aservo motor to cause movement of belt 14.

In the most preferred form, the second product conveyance mechanism isshown as a sweep conveyor 22 which is separately driven from conveyor 12and typically in a continuous manner such as by a servo motor. In thepreferred form, conveyor 22 includes an endless belt 24 including anupper run extending between an upstream roller 26 and a downstreamroller. It should be realized that conveyor 22 can include one or moreadditional rollers, with one or more of the rollers 26 being rotatedsuch as by a servo motor to cause movement of belt 24. In the mostpreferred form, the upper runs of belts 14 and 24 are in the same plane,and possibly the upper run of belt 24 being parallel to but slightlylower than the upper run of belt 14.

Due to the circular cross sections of rollers 16 and 26 in the mostpreferred form, a gap is created between belts 14 and 24. In thepreferred form, a flat, stationary transfer plate 32 extends between theupper runs of belts 14 and 24 generally between the mid point of rollers16 and 26. Thus, lead product is pushed by the continuous stream beingadvanced by conveyor 12 onto and past transfer plate 32 in a mannerdescribed hereinafter.

Apparatus 10 according to the teachings of the present inventionincludes a product transfer device 42 upon which product is supportedand in the preferred form has an upper surface of a size upon which thebottom of the product is supported and in the most preferred form toreceive product having multiple rows and multiple columns. Transferdevice 42 is moveable between an extended position and a retractedposition. Device 42 extends over conveyor 22 in the extended positionand in the preferred form also extends over conveyor 22 beyond transferplate 32 in the retracted position. In the most preferred form, device42 is in the form of a thin piece of flexible material such as a beltrequiring external support to allow product to be supported thereon.Thus, in the preferred form, device 42 in the form of a thin piece ofmaterial engages and is supported by belt 24 to allow product to besupported upon device 42. In the preferred form, device 42 is moved fromits extended position to its retracted position by having its upstreamend secured to the periphery of a roller 46 which is rotated such as bya servo motor 48. Thus, as roller 46 is rotated, device 42 is wrappedaround roller 46 and thereby has a shorter exposed length. In the mostpreferred form, device 42 is moved from its retracted position to itsextended position by movement with belt 24 of conveyor 22 as the resultof friction between device 42 and belt 24, with servo motor 48 tendingto limit the velocity of device 42 to equal that of conveyor 12. Itshould be appreciated that device 42 could be moved by other mannersincluding but not limited to by being reciprocated such as by aircylinders or like. Likewise, device 42 could be formed in other mannerssuch as a flat piece of nonflexible material which does not rely uponbelt 24 for external support and which could be slid under transferplate 32 in its retracted position. However, it is believed that theflexible material forming device 42 is advantageous for several reasonsincluding inertia concerns, costs, and the like.

Apparatus 10 according to the teachings of the present invention furtherincludes a control device 52 for registering the leading edge of theproduct group on transfer device 42 in its extended position. In themost preferred form, device 52 includes a photo eye 52 a and/or ametering bar mechanism 52 b. Basically, photo eye 52 a passes a beam oflight across sweep conveyor 22 at the location where the leading edge ofthe product group on transfer device 42 is in its extended position.When one or more product breaks this light beam, the speed of meterconveyor 12 is adjusted or stopped, with servo motor 48 simply repeatingits pattern every cycle in the most preferred form. Thus, photo eye 52 aensures that product is always in the required position when transferdevice 42 moves from the extended position to the retracted position andcompensates for the potential compressing or inconsistency of productlocated on device 42.

Metering bar mechanism 52 b generally includes a plurality of meteringbars 52 ba extending laterally across sweep conveyor 22 which arecarried along an endless path such as by belts, chains or othertransmission device 52 bb. Specifically, in a portion of the path,metering bars 52 ba move in the conveying direction of conveyor 22 atleast initially at the conveyance speed of conveyor 12. Generally, theleading edge of product on sweep conveyor 22 abuts against a respectivemetering bar 52 ba which may serve to prevent tipping of the productupon sweep conveyor 22 as well as to physically restrain product onsweep conveyor 22.

According to the teachings of the present invention, apparatus 10further includes a mechanism 62 which collects product together anddelivers the product to the next appropriate packaging function such asfilm overwrap or corrugated wrap in a finished form. In the mostpreferred form, mechanism 62 is a sweeping bar mechanism generallyincluding a plurality of sweep bars 62 a extending laterally acrosssweep conveyor 22 and which are carried along an endless path such as bybelts, chains or other transmission device 62 b. Generally, sweep barmechanism 62 is located downstream of metering bar mechanism 52 b, withsweep bar 62 a being introduced between product on sweep conveyor 22 forabutting with the trailing edge of product on sweep conveyor 22. In themost preferred form, sweep conveyor 22 and sweep bar mechanism 62 aredriven together such as by a servo motor.

Now that the basic construction of apparatus 10 according to thepreferred teachings of the present invention has been set forth, modesof operation and advantages of apparatus 10 can be explained. Generally,product is fed in a random basis to meter conveyor 12 where itaccumulates. In particular, meter conveyor 12 preferably runs constantlybut possibly at variable speed, and product is conveyed or pushedthereon. Products can be accumulated on and are conveyed by conveyor 12as a continuous stream in multiple columns extending longitudinallyalong the streams and rows extending laterally across the stream or as alane including a single column and multiple rows in a conveyingdirection at a first conveyance speed. Additionally, product can have avariety of shapes such as circular or rectangular cross sections. Inparticular, product can accumulate in a nested manner in the continuousstream on meter conveyor 12 such as in the case of circular crosssections. Nesting of products is very beneficial in apparatus 10according to the teachings of the present invention as nesting and thelack of physical registration vastly minimizes product surge or in otherwords the high-pressure effect of one product pushing against another atthe point of product release onto transfer device 42.

Products can also accumulate in a non-nested array manner in a singlecolumn or lane or in multiple columns. As an example, although the firstproduct conveyance mechanism is shown in the preferred form as a singleconveyor 12 in the preferred form, the first product conveyancemechanism could be in the form of parallel, multiple conveyors 12, eachconveying a continuous stream of product. Alternatively, the firstproduct conveyance mechanism can be in the form of a single conveyor 12but with individual lane separator guides being placed over conveyor 12,with such individual lane separator guides being installed permanentlyor removable and/or adjustable such as by simply being slid to the sidefor convenient storage for use when desired.

It should be appreciated that in the case of nested or single columnproduct, control device 52 can be in the form of photo eye 52 a andmetering bar mechanism 52 b, if utilized, functions to prevent tippingof the product upon sweep conveyor 22 and/or controls acceleration ofproduct on sweep conveyor 22 from device 42 to keep product together andprecisely located on sweep conveyor 22 as it moves to sweep bars 62 a.In the case of multiple column, non-nested packages, control device canbe in the form of metering bar mechanism 52 b which physically registersthe leading edges of each of the multiple columns to be the same, withphoto eye 52 a possibly being eliminated.

For the sake of explanation, it will be assumed that device 42 is in itsretracted position and product has been advanced by metering conveyor 12to the free edge of device 42 or transfer plate 32. Device 42 is movedfrom its retracted position to its extended position such as by movingservo motor 48 such that device 42 moves and is carried by engaging withbelt 24 of conveyor 22 in the conveying direction of conveyor 22.Simultaneously, during, or after device 42 is moved to its extendedposition, meter conveyor 12 is actuated to move belt 14 to push andthereby transfer product from belt 14 onto transfer plate 32 and ontodevice 42 in its extended position, with meter conveyor 12 beingactuated until photo eye 52 a senses product in the case of nested orsingle column product and/or until product engages a metering bar 52 ba.In the latter case, meter conveyor 12 is actuated so that belt 14travels a set time or distance corresponding to the desired productpattern depth. Generally, after product has been transferred to device42, device 42 is moved from its extended position to its retractedposition, with the product being removed from device 42 by sliding fromdevice 42 onto sweep conveyor 22 as the upstream product on conveyor 12,transfer plate 32 and device 42 abut with the continuous stream ofproduct upon device 42 and thereby prevent product on device 42 frommoving in an upstream direction with device 42 as device 42 moves fromthe extended position to its retracted position. In fact, in thepreferred form where meter conveyor 12 constantly advances product,device 42 begins moving from its extended position towards its retractedposition before the product intended to be removed reaches the releasedposition over sweep conveyor 22. It should be noted that the distancemoved should generally be equal to the desired product pattern depth andspecifically a distance so that the last product(s) in the desired groupof product are located sufficiently upon belt 24 such that they willtravel with belt 24 and thereby are repositioned relative to transferdevice 42 by conveyor 22. It should be appreciated that the leading edgeof transfer device 42 should be insured to be located between productgroups such as electronically by controlling transfer by meter conveyor12 and/or by controlling servo motor 48 on the amount that transferdevice 42 is moved. Alternately, physical registration adjustment ispossible by moving control device 52 and/or transfer device 42.

It should be appreciated that product generally is in the samerelationship in the group as in the continuous stream. Specifically,there is generally no separation of product in a direction perpendicularto the conveying direction or in other words between the columns androws. Such separation occurs in prior pin metering apparatus whichrequires further alignment or railing to get into a compact group.Apparatus 10 according to the preferred teachings of the presentinvention releases product onto conveyor 22 in a compact group,eliminating the need for further railing. Additionally, an added benefitis that product in groups seem to be more stable than when productstands individually on conveyor 22.

After product transfer device 42 has reached its retracted position,this operation is repeated after a distance gap has been created on belt24 between the product group previously traveling with belt 24 and thenext product still on device 42 and before device 42 is again moved toits extended position. In the most preferred form, sweep conveyor 22 ismoving in the same conveying direction as but at a higher velocity thanmeter conveyor 12 such that the product pattern is accelerated whenmoved from device 42 onto sweep conveyor 22 to create the physicalseparation between the product patterns and the contiguous stream ofproducts on meter conveyor 12. This is beneficial as the velocity ofmeter conveyor 12 can approach being constant if device 42 can be movedfrom its extended position to its retracted position and again movetowards its extended position as the leading product(s) in thecontinuous stream of product pass from transfer plate 32 after theprevious product has passed onto belt 24.

Once product groups have been placed onto sweep conveyor 22 withphysical separations between them, the product in the groups can becollected together and placed in a desired pack pattern, if not alreadyso, such as by the use of meter bars 52 ba entering ahead of the productgroups on sweep conveyor 22 for delivery to the next appropriatepackaging function including sweep bar mechanism 62 and such as but notlimited to shrink-packing (film only, film and pad, and/or film andtray), tray loading, cartoning, sleeving or case packing.

It should be appreciated that apparatus 10 according to the teachings ofthe present invention is advantageous for several reasons. First, it isnot necessary for the product to have windows between them in thecontinuous stream as was necessary with pin type metering. Particularly,apparatus 10 of the present invention can be utilized with product whichhave windows such as but not limited to cylindrical product, such as butnot limited to cans, plastic bottles, and jars, product which do nothave windows such as but not limited to rectangular parallelepipeds,such as in cartons and boxes, as well as product in the form of bundlesor trays Thus, apparatus 10 is able to function with many types ofproduct.

In this regard, it may be desired to manufacture device 42 to have aleading edge which is scalloped to have a shape representing the actualshape of the leading bottom edges of the nested pattern of product to beappropriately deposited onto conveyor 22, with the leading bottom edgeof product not being linearly straight such as being circular as in thecase of many cans, bottles, jars or the like. The advantage of such ascalloped shape is that the leading edge follows the following edge ofthe last row of the product group and the leading edge of the continuousstream as the following edge has a forward extent forward of therearward extent of the leading edge due to the nested arrangement whichcould result in product being haphazardly released from or carried bydevice 42 if its leading edge were not scalloped. Although it would benecessary to have devices 42 scalloped to each of the potential nestedpatterns of products desired to be metered, device 42 can be areplacement part which is especially inexpensive when formed of beltingor similar thin, flexible material. Additionally, leading edge of device42 could have other shapes to help removal of product as transfer device42 moves from its extended position.

Alternatively, product in a nested pattern could be arranged into asquare grid pattern before their transfer unto device 42 such that theleading edge of the continuous stream does not have a forward extentforward of the rearward extent of the following edge of the last row ofthe product group. An apparatus for arranging and particularly denestingnestable product in preparation for metering according to the preferredteachings of the present invention is shown in FIG. 3 and generallydesignated 80. In the most preferred form, apparatus 80 utilizes thegeometry of the nested arrangement to denest the product. Cylindricalproducts having circular cross sections which abut will be utilized inexplaining the concept of the present invention. Specifically, in anested arrangement, products in one column have centers locatedintermediate the centers of product in the adjacent column. Thus, asshown in FIG. 3, a line from the center of product A in one column willextend tangentially to abutting points of product B in the same columnbut in a downstream row and product C in the adjacent column and thesame row as product B. A radial line from the center of product B willextend perpendicularly to the tangent line. A line between the centersof products A and B is a hypotenuse of a right triangle and has a lengthequal to the radius of product A plus the radius of product B and thusis twice the length of the radius of product B. Thus, the angle betweenthe tangent line and the hypotenuse line must be 30° and the anglebetween the radial line and the hypotenuse must be 60°. Separation linesbetween the columns will be defined by tangents to products A and Bparallel to the hypotenuse line, and separation lines between the rowswill be defined by tangents to products B and C parallel to the radialline, with separation lines between the columns and rows intersecting atan angle of 60°.

Generally, apparatus 80 according to the teachings of the presentinvention includes a guide rail unit 82 positioned vertically abovemeter conveyor 12. Guide rail unit 82 according to the preferredteachings of the present invention generally includes a first, infeedportion 84, a second, nesting portion 86, and a third, aligning portion88.

Infeed portion 84 of the preferred form shown generally includes outsidelane infeed guides 84 a and 84 b extending in a spaced relation. Infeedportion 84 also includes one or more inner lane guides 84 c in a spaced,parallel relation to guides 84 a and 84 b. The number of inner laneguides 84 in the preferred form is one less than the desired number ofcolumns, with three guides 84 c being shown in the preferred form wherefour columns of products are desired to be metered. The spacing ofadjacent lane guides 84 a-84 c is generally equal to the width of thecolumn which is equal to a diameter in the case of products havingcircular cross sections. It should be appreciated that product can besuitably received between adjacent lane guides 84 a-84 c such as beingfed as a column therebetween or as accumulating on conveyor 12 beforeportion 84 and dividing into columns by guides 84 a-84 c. The totalspacing perpendicularly between guides 84 a and 84 b is generally equalto the width of the individual columns multiplied by the number ofcolumns plus the combined widths of all guides 84 c. Thus, productlocated on conveyor 12 and between lane guides 84 a-84 c are conveyed ina conveying direction which in the most preferred form is parallel tothe movement direction of conveyor 12.

Nesting portion 86 generally includes outside lane nesting guides 86 aand 86 b extending from guides 84 a and 84 b, respectively, in a spacedparallel direction at an acute arranging angle N to the conveyingdirection of conveyor 12. In particular, for cylindrical product havingcircular cross sections, the arranging angle N in the preferred formshown is 30° corresponding to the hypotenuse line. It should beappreciated that guides 84 c terminate in the infeed portion 84 and endat nesting portion 86 and that nesting portion 86 is free of inner laneguides which separate product into individual columns in the nestedpattern. As a result of this change of direction and as product is notrefrained from moving laterally relative to each other, product willnest together in nesting portion 86 where every other column will beoffset in the direction of guides 86 a and 86 b by one product radius.The spacing between guides 86 a and 86 b perpendicular to the conveyingdirection of conveyor 12 and between the interconnections of guides 84 aand 84 b with guides 86 a and 86 b, respectively, is generally equal tothe width of the individual columns multiplied by the number of columnswhile the spacing perpendicularly between guides 86 a and 86 b is lessdue to product nesting.

Aligning portion 88 generally includes outside lane grid guides 88 a and88 b extending from guides 86 a and 86 b, respectively, in a spacedrelation generally parallel to guides 84 a-84 c and to the conveyingdirection. Thus, lane guides 88 a and 88 b extend from guides 86 a and86 b respectively at an obtuse grid angle Z which in the preferred formto produce a square grid pattern equals 150°. In the preferred form,where arranging angle N is 30° and grid angle Z is equal to 150°, thesum of angles N and Z is 180°. Aligning portion 88 is also free of innerlane guides which separate product into individual columns in the gridpattern in the most preferred form. The spacing perpendicularly betweenguides 88 a and 88 b and perpendicular to the conveying direction isgenerally equal to the width of the individual columns multiplied by thenumber of columns.

Product advances into infeed portion 84 until they abut with each otherand is separated to form individual, continuous columns therein, whichare prevented from nesting due to the presence of lane guides 84 cextending parallel to the conveying direction. When product leavesportion 84 and specifically move past guides 84 c, product will beguided at the arranging angle N while being conveyed in the conveyingdirection so that product moves simultaneously parallel to the conveyingdirection and perpendicular to the conveying direction. In particular asproduct leaves infeed portion 84, the pattern in portion 84 will remainoriented by nesting portion 86. Product will tend to nest together inportion 86 into a nest pattern with at least two columns extendingparallel to guides 86 a and 86 b and to arranging angle N. The arrangingangle N of guides 86 a and 86 b of the preferred form of 30° relative toguides 84 a and 84 b and the absense of inner lane guides between guides86 a and 86 b and the decreased spacing perpendicularly between guides86 a and 86 b generate the nest pattern shown. It should be appreciatedthat the separation lines between product rows are at complementaryangle to grid angle Z and remain perpendicular to the conveyingdirection in the preferred form due to the 60° angle of the separationline between product columns moving along and parallel to guides 86 aand 86 b with the conveying direction. The columns in the nested patternabut, and the rows in the nesting pattern abut, with the nested patternbeing maintained by product being conveyed in infeed portion 84 byconveyor 12 upstream of nesting portion 86 and of the nested pattern.Nesting has the effect of physically registering one column to another.Basically, no one column can advance past another because they are gridlocked together. This column to column registration is a primaryfunction essential to the concept of the present invention. This gridlock function controls the column to column offset to maintain productin the desired pattern upstream and downstream of portion 84. Arrangingangle N will therefore introduce a corresponding column to column offsetchange at portion 84 such as being in a square grid pattern whenarranging angle N is 30° as described in the preferred form. Grid angleZ will therefore introduce a corresponding column to column offsetchange at portion 88 such as being in a square grid pattern when angle Zis 150° as described in the preferred form.

The alignment between product as they transition between portions 86 and88 is similar to but reversed from the transition between portions 84and 86. In particular, aligning portion 88 guides the nested patternwhile the columns remain abutting and the rows remain abutting into agrid pattern. Product rows extend perpendicularly between guides 88 aand 88 b. Because guides 88 a and 88 b are parallel to the conveyingdirection, the product columns will be parallel to the conveyingdirection. Due to the perpendicular spacing between guides 88 a and 88 band the nested product being conveyed in nesting portion 86 upstream ofthe aligning portion 88 and the grid pattern, product is maintained inthe grid pattern and is prevented from moving from the grid pattern to anested pattern. Thus, product in portion 88 is in a square grid pattern,with the practical difference being the absence of inner lane guides.

Meter conveyor 12 could include a single endless belt 14 or could beformed including multiple endless belts 14, with belt 14 intended toencompass constructions formed by a flexible sheet, multiple links, orother conveyance surfaces and types. However, it should be appreciatedthat product in portions 84 and 86 and upstream thereof should allowease of sliding for accumulation and nesting purposes while product inportion 88 should generally prevent sliding of product for meteringproposes. An advantage of utilizing conveyor 12 including separateendless belts 14 as shown in the preferred form is that each belt 14 canbe manufactured for ease or lack of ease with sliding characteristics.

The square grid pattern is then available for further packagingoperations such as but not limited to separation into pack patterns bycreating a separation between adjacent rows in the grid pattern, withthe use of apparatus 10 of the present invention believed to producesynergistic results with apparatus 80. Specifically, product in thesquare grid pattern can be transferred unto transfer device 42 formetering. Advantages of metering a square grid pattern according to theteachings of the present invention include but are not limited toremoving the necessity for device 42 to have a scalloped leading edge,to make changeover between different products easier. Also, as there isno overlap between the rearward extent of the last row of the meteredgroup and the leading edge of the continuous stream, it is easier tocreate wider separation such as for the insertion of metering bars 52 basuch that apparatus 10 can be operated at higher rates of speed.Likewise, the grid pattern also lends itself to electronic registrationsuch as by the use of photoeye 52 a rather than physical registration.Additionally, product in the grid pattern and pack patterns separatedtherefrom have straight and tight columns and rows such that the needfor devices and methods to collect product and place into the desiredarrangement after metering is at least significantly reduced oreliminated. In this regard, product which are in contact when beingmetered are more stable than product standing apart. It should also beappreciated that apparatus 80 according to the teachings of the presentinvention can be easily changed over for different products by simplychanging the number of inner lane guides 84 c, if necessary, andadjusting the spacing of guides 84 a, 86 a and 88 a as a unit relativeto guides 84 b, 86 b and 88 b as a unit. In this regard, lane guides 84c are utilized only in infeed portion 84. Likewise, apparatus 80according to the teachings of the present invention utilizes essentiallypassive geometry, with minimal components, and therefor has no movingfunctional parts to wear out, reducing production and operating costs.

Likewise, to change over to product groups having different group depthssuch as to change between groups having different product sizes orgroups having a different number of rows, it is only necessary to adjustthe distance that device 42 moves between its extended and retractedposition and the speed of conveyor 12 such as by changing the controlsto servo motor 48 in the preferred form and the drive for conveyor 12,to attach device 42 at a different length to roller 46, or to utilize adifferent device 42 which can be a relatively inexpensive replacementpart. Thus, apparatus 10 according to the teachings of the presentinvention can be rapidly changed between product and pack pattern typeand size.

Apparatus 10 and 80 according to the teachings of the present inventionfacilitates electronic registration such as by the use of photo eye 52a. Electronic registration removes forces of physical registrationpreviously required for pin and other prior design metering, which couldbe sufficiently large to cause product damage. When physicalregistration is required utilizing apparatus 10 according to theteachings of the present invention, the forces on the product can bemanaged by controlling build up of product on conveyor 12.

It should be appreciated that apparatus 10 and 80 according to theteachings of the present invention is formed of relatively few movingparts, and the only part which would be subjected to wear is device 42,which in the preferred form is a relatively inexpensive replacementpart. In particular, conveyors 12 and 22 and metering bar mechanism 52b, if utilized, are low wear and maintenance especially in comparison tothe pin metering conveying mechanisms. Additionally, product is openfrom the top and generally open from the sides during the meteringfunction of apparatus 10 according to the teachings of the presentinvention to allow easy access to product on conveyor 12 and/or 22.Likewise, apparatus 10 only requires roller 46 in the preferred formbeneath conveyors 12 and 22 (and servo motor 48 to the side) for easyaccess to the bottom for maintenance and cleaning.

In the most preferred form, conveyor 22 moves at a higher velocity thanconveyor 12 so that the product group accelerates from the continuousstream once they are supported directly on conveyor 22. This isadvantageous because conveyor 12 can continuously operate withoutstopping even during the removal of product from transfer device 42 bymoving in a direction opposite to the conveying direction of conveyor12. However, it is possible to have conveyor 12 surge in velocity totransfer product onto device 42 and then decelerate to cause theseparation between the metered product group and the continuous streamof product. Likewise, separation could be caused by other techniquesincluding but not limited to combinations of the above.

It should be appreciated that metering bar mechanism 52 b performs anadditional function according to the preferred teachings of the presentinvention. Specifically, in the most preferred form, conveyor 22 movesat a velocity greater than the velocity of product before it istransferred onto conveyor 22. As a result, product on conveyor 22 willseparate from product still located upon transfer device 42 in the formshown to cause a physical separation therebetween if product was free toaccelerate with conveyor 22. Basically, lead product on conveyor 22initially contacts one of metering bars 52 ba generally when transferdevice 42 begins moving from its extended position. As metering bars 52ba travel generally at the velocity of product on transfer device 42,metering bars 52 ba control the acceleration of product to be less thanconveyor 22 so that separation within the group of product does notoccur. Once the entire group of product has been transferred fromtransfer device 42 onto conveyor 22, metering bars 52 ba can beaccelerated to match the velocity of conveyor 22 or can be slid awayfrom the leading product on conveyor 22 such that product on conveyor 22is allowed to accelerate to match the speed of conveyor 22.

As set forth previously, apparatus 10 according to the teachings of thepresent invention allows nesting in the continuous stream which is verydesirable. Thus, when separated into groups, product will be nested orwill not be in the same physical relationships to each other as whenthey were in the continuous stream as variations in slippage betweenindividual product in the group and conveyor 22. However, many packagingoperations require the product group to be in an arranged pack pattern.According to the teachings of the present invention, metering bars 52 batravel at a velocity slower than conveyor 22 and are in front of theproduct group to thereby limit acceleration of product. As a result, theproduct in group will slide on conveyor 22 (possibly with the help ofside rails) relative to each other so that they will be located in anarranged pack pattern suitable for further packaging functions whenengaged by sweep bars 62 a. It should be realized where product is in anarranged pattern and electronic registration is possible using onlyphoto eye 52 a, where product does not have to be in a particularpattern, or the like, metering bar mechanism 52 b could be simplyremoved, such as by sliding to a noninterfering position above conveyor22.

Now that the basic teachings of the present invention have beenexplained, many extensions and variations will be obvious to one havingordinary skill in the art. For example, although apparatus 10 of themost preferred form includes the combination of several, unique featuresbelieved to obtain synergistic results, apparatus could be constructedaccording to the teachings of the present invention including suchfeatures singly or in other combinations. In this regard, although thecombination of apparatus 10 and 80 is believed to especially increaseefficiency for cylindrical products, apparatus 10 according to theteachings of the present invention could be utilized without apparatus80 such as for non-nesting products or with device 42 with a scallopedleading edge for nesting products. Likewise, apparatus 80 according tothe teachings of the present invention could be utilized with othertypes and configurations of metering apparatus or with other packagingoperations.

Additionally, it can be appreciated that conveyor 22 could be arrangedto receive a tray or a pad before transfer device 42 is extendedthereover or product transferred onto conveyor 22 according to theteachings of the present invention. Forming transfer device 42 fromrigid material may be desirable in such instances. However, formingtransfer device 42 of a thin piece of flexible material is believed tobe advantageous for its low cost, low inertia and ease of adjustment.

The function of plate 32 is to allow product to be transferred fromconveyor 12 to conveyor 22. However, it can be appreciated that thisfunction can be accomplished in other manners as well known in thepackaging art including but not limited to by the use of rollermechanisms, reshaping conveyors 12 and/or 22, or by utilizing othermanners of product conveyance mechanisms. As an example, anotherpossibility is using a moving conveyor transfer that consists of thetail shaft of sweep conveyor 22 and the head shaft of meter conveyor 12having a fixed relationship to each other and which can laterallyposition itself (such as via a servo motor) underneath the appropriateproduct separation point and then in combination with meter bars 52 baadvance the desired arrangement of product to conveyor 22.

It should be realized that although apparatus 10 and 80 are shown forprocessing a single product line, it should be appreciated thatapparatus 10 and 80 can be banked together such as in a parallelarrangement to process multiple product lines according to the teachingsof the present invention.

Thus since the invention disclosed herein may be embodied in otherspecific forms without departing from the spirit or generalcharacteristics thereof, some of which forms have been indicated, theembodiments described herein are to be considered in all respectsillustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is to beindicated by the appended claims, rather than by the foregoingdescription, and all changes which come within the meaning and range ofequivalency of the claims are intended to be embraced therein.

1. Method for arranging nestable product comprising: conveying productin a conveying direction; guiding the product while being conveyed inthe conveying direction into a nested pattern with at least two parallelcolumns and multiple parallel rows, with the columns in the nestedpattern abutting and with the rows in the nested pattern abutting, withthe nested pattern being maintained byproduct being conveyed fromupstream of the nested pattern; guiding the nested pattern at an obtusegrid angle into a grid pattern, with the grid pattern being maintainedby product being guided from upstream of the grid pattern, with thenested pattern being guided into the grid pattern while the columnsremain abutting and the rows remain abutting; and separating a packpattern from the grid pattern by creating a separation between adjacentrows of the grid pattern.
 2. The method of claim 1 with separating thepack pattern comprising: moving a transfer device from a retractedposition to an extended position, with product in the grid pattern beingtransferred unto the transfer device; and removing the pack pattern fromthe transfer device by moving the transfer device from the extendedposition to the retracted position after the grid pattern has beentransferred to the transfer device, with the pack pattern beingprevented from moving with the transfer device by the grid pattern beingconveyed in the conveying direction upstream of the pack pattern.
 3. Theapparatus of claim 1 with the separating means comprising, incombination: a second product conveyance mechanism; a transfer devicemoveable between a retracted position and an extended position; with thetransfer device extending over the second product conveyance mechanismin the extended position, with the product being transferred by thefirst product conveyance mechanism unto the transfer device, withproduct on the transfer device abutting with the grid pattern on thefirst product conveyance mechanism when the transfer device is movedfrom the extended position to the retracted position so that product inthe grid pattern slides from the transfer device onto the second productconveyance mechanism.
 4. The method of claim 1 with guiding the productcomprising guiding the product without lane guides separating theproduct into individual columns in the nested pattern.
 5. The method ofclaims 4 with guiding the product and guiding the nesting patterncomprising guiding the product in the absence of lane guides separatingthe product into individual columns.
 6. The method of claim 1 withconveying products comprising guiding the product with lane guides at anarranging angle to the conveying direction and separating the productinto individual columns.
 7. The method of claim 6 with guiding theproduct comprising guiding the product without lane guides separatingthe product into individual columns in the nested pattern.
 8. The methodof claim 7 with guiding the product and guiding the nesting patterncomprising guiding the product in the absence of lane guides separatingthe product into individual columns.
 9. The method of claim 8 withguiding the nested product comprising guiding the nested product at thegrid angle of 150° for products having abutting circular cross sectionsin the nested and grid patterns, with the grid pattern being a squaregrid pattern.
 10. The method of claim 9 with separating the pack patterncomprising: moving a transfer device from a retracted position to anextended position, with product in the grid pattern being transferredunto the transfer device; and removing the pack pattern from thetransfer device by moving the transfer device from the extended positionto the retracted position after the grid pattern has been transferred tothe transfer device, with the pack pattern being prevented from movingwith the transfer device by the grid pattern being conveyed in theconveying direction upstream of the pack pattern.
 11. Apparatus forarranging product comprising, in combination: a first product conveyancemechanism, with product being conveyed by the first product conveyancemechanism in a conveying direction; a nesting guide portion includingfirst and second outside nesting guides, with the first and secondoutside nesting guides guiding product on the first product conveyancemechanism into a nested pattern with at least two columns extendingparallel to the first and second outside nesting guides and multiplerows with the columns in the nested pattern abutting and the rows in thenested pattern abutting and being maintained in the nested pattern byproduct being conveyed in the first product conveyance mechanism; a gridguide portion including first and second outside grid guides extendingfrom the first and second nesting guides at a grid angle from aninterconnection, with the spacing of the first and second outside gridguides at the interconnections being generally equal to a width of theproduct multiplied by the number of columns in the nested pattern, withthe grid guide portion guiding the product into a grid pattern with thecolumns in the grid pattern extending parallel to the first and secondgrid guides and multiple rows with the columns in the grid patternabutting and the rows in the grid pattern abutting and being maintainedin the grid pattern by product being conveyed in the first conveyingdirection by the first product conveyance mechanism; and means forseparating a pack pattern from the grid pattern by creating a separationbetween adjacent rows in the grid pattern.
 12. The apparatus of claim 11with the grid angle being 150° to create a square grid pattern. 13.Apparatus for arranging product comprising, in combination: a firstproduct conveyance mechanism, with product being conveyed by the firstproduct conveyance mechanism in a conveying direction; a nesting guideportion including first and second outside nesting guides, with thefirst and second outside nesting guides guiding product on the firstproduct conveyance mechanism into a nested pattern with at least twocolumns extending parallel to the first and second outside nestingguides and multiple rows with the columns in the nested pattern abuttingand the rows in the nested pattern abutting and being maintained in thenested pattern by product being conveyed in the first product conveyancemechanism; a grid guide portion including first and second outside gridguides extending from the first and second nesting guides at a gridangle from an interconnection, with the spacing of the first and secondoutside grid guides at the interconnections being generally equal to awidth of the product multiplied by the number of columns in the nestedpattern, with the grid guide portion guiding the product into a gridpattern with the columns in the grid pattern extending parallel to thefirst and second grid guides and multiple rows with the columns in thegrid pattern abutting and the rows in the grid pattern abutting andbeing maintained in the grid pattern by product being conveyed in thefirst conveying direction by the first product conveyance mechanism; andan infeed portion including first and second outside infeed guidesextending from the first and second outside nesting guides and at leastone inner lane guide extending parallel to and spaced from the first andsecond outside infeed guides and separating the product into individualcolumns, with the first and second outside nesting guides extending fromthe first and second outside infeed guides at an arranging angle. 14.The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the inner lane guide terminates in theinfeed portion and the nesting guide portion is free of inner laneguides.
 15. The apparatus of claim 14 with the arranging angle being30°.
 16. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising, in combination:means for separating a pack pattern from the grid pattern by creating aseparation between adjacent rows in the grid pattern.
 17. The apparatusof claim 16 with the separating means comprising, in combination: asecond product conveyance mechanism; a transfer device moveable betweena retracted position and an extended position; with the transfer deviceextending over the second product conveyance mechanism in the extendedposition, with the product being transferred by the first productconveyance mechanism unto the transfer device, with product on thetransfer device abutting with the grid pattern on the first productconveyance mechanism when the transfer device is moved from the extendedposition to the retracted position so that product in the grid patternslides from the transfer device onto the second product conveyancemechanism.